Disney has had an outstanding run with Marvel Cinematic Universe movies for many years, all the way up to Avengers: Endgame. After this amazing run, the number of new Marvel movies has been reduced dramatically. If you do not count Deadpool & Wolverine, which came out in 2024 and is arguably not even a movie that is fully integrated into the MCU, the last movie would have been The Marvels from 2023. The score for that film was composed by Laura Karpman, and after more than a year she returned to write the music for Captain America: Brave New World, a movie that continues the story about Sam Wilson, who has become the new Captain America.
As Karpman has done with the music for The Marvels, she wrote a primarily orchestral score for the new Captain America movie, with a handful of new themes. This also means that while the movie has ties with previous Marvel movies, Karpman did not use any other themes from those films. Karpman’s theme for Sam Wilson as the new Captain America is featured prominently in “Brave New World.” The theme stands out for me because it can be separated into two parts. The first is a rhythmic pattern used on many occasions throughout the score, such as when Captain America is showing off his skills in several action sequences. The second part of the theme is the melody that is layered over this rhythm, representing Sam Wilson more as a person than a hero.
The second major theme is the Conspiracy theme, which can be heard right at the start of the album in “Captain America: Brave New World Main Title “ with its unusual rhythmic pattern. The theme is also featured in its dedicated track, “Conspiracy Theme,” at the end of the album. The conspiracy idea is very important in the film, and as a result, this theme can be found throughout the whole score.
There are several other themes to be found. One is for President Ross, an elegant emotional melody, representing him more as a father figure than the President. You can hear it well in “President Ross” and “Betty and Ross.” The last theme I want to mention is found in “Samuel Sterns” for the mysterious antagonist with that same name, which is more about sound textures than melody. Apparently, Karpman used her mother’s radio from the ‘70s to create those sounds, as she has mentioned in an interview.
After listening to Karpman’s latest scores, I have learned to appreciate her skill in integrating thematic ideas into the music to support the storytelling, which is not different for Captain America: Brave New World. When you listen closely to the music she has written for the film, you can hear some outstanding theme integration, especially how she is playing around with the two parts of the Captain America theme and how she is developing the Ross theme into a full orchestral piece, which is bolder and more grandeur, with massive brass statements. In the climax of the movie, Karpman also adds the choir to her music to elevate the music even further in order to support the big confrontation between Captain America and his foe in the film.
Laura Karpman wrote a well-executed, outstanding score for Captain America: Brave New World. Her ability to play with the themes and integrate them into the score really comes through in this latest addition to the Marvel franchise. There is, however, a caveat. I found all this out while I sat down and listened to the score on its own after seeing the film. While in the movie theater, I could hear the music in the background, but it did not stand out as I would have expected from a Marvel product. In a way this fits the movie, with the new Captain America as a normal human being without any superpowers, but he still throws the shield like a frisbee like a superhuman, as his predecessor did. When I recall those scenes in my head, I have a hard time remembering the theme, since its rhythmic pattern is integrated so much with other melody lines. It is an excellent score, a job well done for a film composer, but it is also one I will probably forget about in a month or so.
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Tracklist
The highlights are in bold.
- Captain America: Brave New World Main Title (3:44)
- Brave New World (2:50)
- President Ross (1:45)
- Courtyard (0:42)
- Hostages Saved (2:18)
- Aftermath (2:35)
- Discovery of the Millennium (2:43)
- White House Confusion (3:03)
- Mystery Unfolds (1:38)
- Sidewinder (1:30)
- Junkyard (1:52)
- No Phones (2:05)
- Camp Echo One (1:56)
- Samuel Sterns (4:37)
- Camp Echo One Fight (1:13)
- Corridor Fight (0:57)
- Make the Call (1:37)
- The Island (2:08)
- Heart Talk (3:26)
- Birds in the Air (1:45)
- Fire (2:05)
- One Down (0:55)
- Still Chasing (4:15)
- Fleet Saved (0:56)
- Aspire (2:22)
- All Is Not Well (1:40)
- Betty and Ross (1:41)
- Confrontation (2:47)
- Transformation (3:23)
- Lure (3:47)
- Prove It (2:49)
- That’s Three (1:24)
- Another Visitor (2:45)
- Sam and Joaquin (2:45)
- Conspiracy Theme (2:52)
Total length: 1 hour and 21 minutes
Hollywood Records (2025)
